Perhaps Silence explores how humans, other species and emerging technologies participate in the making of culture. Through photography, field recordings, sound ecology and machine learning, the exhibition considers urban soundscapes, microbial life, vacant spaces and new forms of creation. Curated by Dr. Jan A. Eckert, it brings together contributions from EPFL, SUPSI and his independent research initiative nominute.city, which grew out of a residency in Kyoto supported by Pro Helvetia and Bern Design Foundation, alongside international research and creative practices. Connecting perspectives from Switzerland and Japan, it asks what culture might become when humans are no longer its only makers.
Curator
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Bio
Dr. Jan Albert Eckert
Project Lead, Lugano Living Lab and Visiting Professor in Spatial Design, HSLUDr Jan Albert Eckert is a Swiss urbanist, researcher and curator whose work explores cities, soundscapes, ecology and culture through photography, field recordings and interdisciplinary research. He leads nominute.city, an independent research initiative developed in part through a residency in Kyoto supported by Pro Helvetia and the Bern Design Foundation. An active member of the Swiss Society for Acoustic Ecology, he is also Project Lead at Lugano Living Lab and Visiting Professor in Spatial Design at HSLU. He is the curator of perhaps silence, co-developed with Swissnex in Japan.
Full Program
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Swissnex Window #15: Perhaps Silence
November 5, 2026 — December 10, 2026Who shapes the future of culture? Bringing together perspectives from science, art, and technology, Perhaps Silence explores how humans, other species, and emerging technologies contribute to shaping culture. Drawing on photography, sound, and machine learning, the exhibition invites us to rethink how culture is created and who and what shapes its future.
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Opening Event of Swissnex Window #15: Perhaps Silence
November 5, 2026Join us for the opening of Perhaps Silence, with a conversation exploring sound, urban space and the environments we share with other species. Bringing together perspectives from acoustic research, architectural history, sociology and creative practice, the discussion will consider how listening can reveal overlooked relationships in everyday places.
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Soundscape Tour
November 6, 2026What can we discover about a city by listening? In this guided soundscape walk to Nakanoshima Park with Dr Jan A. Eckert, participants will explore the sounds that shape everyday urban life. Through listening exercises and shared observations, the walk invites participants to reconsider how different forms of life inhabit and share the city. No prior experience is required.
Partners
A collaboration between Swissnex, Nominute.City and Re-Negotiating.Space, with the support of Bridge Studio, Swiss Society for Acoustic Ecology, Berne Design Foundation, HSLU, Swiss Typefaces, and Pro Helvetia.
